


Seeking Solace In Servitude

by UmbraElf



Category: Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms, Fate/stay night (Visual Novel)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Banter, Comfort Sex, Cunnilingus, F/M, First Kiss, First Time, Post-Coital Cuddling, Spoilers, Tea
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-15
Updated: 2012-03-15
Packaged: 2018-04-15 01:52:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4588536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UmbraElf/pseuds/UmbraElf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alternate Heaven's Feel Route- Rin is at the very edge; a heavy burden has been placed upon her and she struggles with the decision of having to kill her sister.  She's close to the breaking point, and while all of her other support has been taken away, Archer is still there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Seeking Solace In Servitude

**Disclaimer:** This is a project not meant for profit, nor do I claim to own any of the characters, themes, and ideas taken from Type-Moon, Fate/Stay Night, or Tsukhime. Type-Moon is created and owned by Kinoko Nasu and not by the writer of this fan work.  
  
  
**Warning:** This fan fiction contains strong sexual content of a heterosexual nature. You have been warned. In other words, there’s porn, kids!

 

 

  
** Seeking Solace In Servitude **   
**By: Elf**   


  
It felt as if every centimeter was enveloped in a dull, icy ache; that weights of lead had been tied around all of her limbs, torso, throat, and head. Each step was a colossal effort, but she would not be stopped. Tohsaka Rin’s jaw throbbed as she ground her teeth together while continuing to forge her way home.  
  
_Rin, we can stop and take a break._  
  
“No,” Rin said, her voice shockingly loud as she tilted her head to the invisible presence beside her. She shook her head and said, “We’re almost home.”  
  
From out of the ether her Servant materialized, towering over her and looking imposing in his red mantle and black armor. Grey eyes met hers as he folded his arms and looked down at her. “It wouldn’t be any good for either of us if you dropped and I’d be forced to carry you,” her Archer said with one eyebrow raised, but the tone was soft, almost gentle. Utterly unlike his normal sardonic tone.   
  
Rin sighed, the movement driving hundreds of tiny needles into her chest, and said, “I can make it back home, you don’t need to worry about me.”  
  
“I could argue differently,” Archer said in a low voice before he vanished into thin air again.  
  
She sighed and absently picked another leaf from her hair before forcing herself to continue. Cold wisps of air were already nipping at her thighs, legs, hands, and face. In a futile gesture she wrapped her arms around herself as she continued to walk, her fingers gripping into her sleeves. One glance heavenward confirmed the sun beginning to set and the sky drenched in a hellish red as darkness was creeping into the horizon.  
  
_Tendrils rippling and angry, black edged with crimson, attacking without thought. They were hungry, Rin had realized, and they were coming straight at her. Emiya-kun was momentarily forgotten as Archer moved to put himself between her and those things. Rin was in motion as well, slinging one of her precious jewels with a flick of her wrist and a scream._  
_  
Brilliant, wintery crystals rapidly formed over the appendage, causing it to gleam like diamonds in the sunlight. Then Archer’s black falchion severed it in two as Rin moved back to his side, drawing another jewel from her pocket. The Shadow attacked, sending more and more of those wicked appendages, like ribbons from Hell, flying towards them. The air around Rin was becoming thicker and thicker, so thick she could barely breathe but Archer was fighting against all odds._  
_  
“Tohsaka,” a thick voice said from below her._  
_  
She looked over to see Emiya holding his left arm, crimson rivulets dripping down his fingers and splattering the ground below. Beside him a pair of ruby eyes that were too old for the face they were set in met Rin’s. The Einzbern heir’s face was grim as she said, “She’ll kill us all, even with your Archer protecting us.”_  
_  
Rin looked up to see Saber approaching, the Servant’s pitiless, cold, yellow eyes focusing on them. From beside her the freakish form of Assassin appeared, the skull serving as his face was enough to make Rin’s blood run cold. Archer stepped forward, each hand gripping a blade as he started to step towards certain death._  
  
Rin sighed when she saw her mansion looming up on the hill. Within a few minutes she’d be safe at home. _Then what? There’s no way that Archer and I can win this. Not against Assassin, Saber as she is, and Berserker taken by the Shadow._ She sighed before rubbing her forehead. Absently she grabbed her keys from her pocket as she drew nearer to the threshold. A few words collapsed the oppressive wards that surrounded the Tohsaka home long enough for her and Archer to get in. With another chant she put them back into place while unlocking the door.  
  
Unfortunately, the house was just as cold inside as the air outside. Rin went to go turn on the heat when she saw Archer materialize beside the thermostat. “Thanks,” she said before rubbing the back of her aching neck.   
  
“You should leave the furnace on during the day when it’s this cold outside, you know.”  
  
“It’s too expensive to run the heater when I’m not here,” she said with a wave of her hand.  
  
Archer snorted and said, “Being frugal is admirable, but being cheap isn’t.”  
  
_He’s lecturing me on being thrifty when we almost died today,_ she thought as she narrowed her eyes at him. “I don’t really think this is the time to quibble over yen, Archer. We’ve got other more pressing concerns,” Rin said as numb fingers began to tug on the ribbon that held her left pig tail in place.  
  
Archer shrugged and said, “It’s not all that bad really. It could be worse.”  
  
She narrowed her eyes at him and said, “I really doubt it.” _I’m going to have to kill my sister, if what Kirei said was true, and it looks like it is. Emiya-kun’s going to want to protect her, and I don’t want to hurt him either, and worse than that there’s that altered Saber, Assassin, Zouken, and the Shadow. Now really isn’t the time for a sarcastic pep talk, Archer._  
  
“We could be dead,” Archer said with a shrug before turning and giving Rin the view of his broad back as he walked down the hallway, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

 

***

  
Archer materialized on the roof, realizing that it would have been better for both Rin and himself if he had just remained in spirit form until they both recovered. The Shadow fed off of prana, and as a magus and a Servant they had been a virtual beacon for it. _That, and that thing was actively trying to kill Rin over the rest of us,_ he thought with a frown as he tilted his face up to look at the three-quarter moon glowing in the dark, velvety sky.  
  
_That thing is Sakura,_ Archer thought with a sigh. The easiest and best thing would be to go to the Emiya house and use a Broken Phantasm to erase it from the face of the Earth. However Ilya’s presence there was more than enough to still his hand from any destructive thoughts. _Then there’s Rider to think of as well. That’s not a fight I want to go through again._  
  
Despite the obvious gap between himself, Lancer, Saber, and Gilgamesh, the “famous heroes” all had exploitable weaknesses in a fight. Mainly the fact that they relied more on honor, just didn’t have the sense to do something more in a fight than to charge into battle waving weapons, or their arrogance was a crushing handicap. Rider, unfortunately, had no quibbles about fighting dirtily as Archer did. _Clever snake,_ he thought with a snort.  
  
_And she’s Sakura’s Servant, and Sakura is Rin’s sister,_ Archer mused as he heard water start to flow from the pipes inside and pour out the faucet. Rin was caught up in something she didn’t deserve to be, and if it kept pushing and eating at her, it would kill the girl he admired and leave someone else in her place. He looked up at the moon as he clinched his fist at his side with a frown.  
  
_Everything’s different. Killing the boy won’t bring me peace, his path has diverged too much from mine. The kid realizes who’s most important to him and is putting them above everyone else. There’s no chance for him to become a Hero of Justice now. However I’m here,_ Archer thought as his eyes narrowed. _I’m here, and I’m a superhero who has no qualms about who they need to choose to save._

***

  
Sleep was what she needed, but she knew it would elude her for several hours now. Rin was fully aware how her biorhythms were at their peak during the night, and that she was filled with too many troubled thoughts to sleep. Teeth gritted, she ran her brush through her still damp hair to comb the tangles out. The brush tugged and yanked at her scalp, and with a grunt she dragged it through the rough knot of hair.   
  
A sigh escaped her lips when she saw the giant mass of black hair that was entangled in her brush, but she continued with her task. She looked up at the hollow eyed and pale girl staring her back from her vanity’s mirror and scowled. Looking closely, Rin noticed that there were dark circles under her eyes and her face was almost completely void of color, and a leanness in her features that hadn’t been there a few weeks ago. Rin quickly looked away from the haunted specter in the mirror before working on the arduous task of untangling her wet hair.  
  
After countless minutes, she pronounced her hair tangle free and began to clean the mass of raven hair from the brush’s bristles. She frowned at the sheer volume that the brush had collected and absently ran her hand to the back of her head. Questing fingers didn’t find the bald spot she had been expecting, so she continued to clean off her brush. Once she was finished she stared at the knots of black hair between her fingers before letting them fall into her waist bin.  
  
She absently rubbed her forehead before slumping onto the vanity for support. Her eyes were burning, her chest was tight, and there was a steady pounding in her skull. The yellow flannel of her pajamas with their cheerful black cat pattern was clinched tightly between shaking fingers. Rin felt her lips tremble as she fought _hard_ to keep focused, to keep from crumbling under the burden that she found set upon her.  
  
_I am a magus. It was only a matter of time before I had to do something like this. Being a magus is like walking hand and hand with death. If I have to kill my own sister to protect my magecraft then I will strike the finishing blow._  
  
Rin looked up again and whispered, “But I _don’t_ want to.”  
  
Teeth ground together as Rin’s fingers dug even more into the sleeves of her pajamas. Something boiling hot was rising up within her, threatening to burst. Red was starting to seep into her vision as heard a loud clatter behind her and forced herself on her feet. Then the door opened and Rin spun around, her face locked in a fierce glower.  
  
“What the hell are you doing here?” she asked her Servant as Archer made his way into the room.  
  
His eyes met hers as he lifted up the tea tray he was carrying and said, “I thought you needed some tea and something to eat.”  
  
“If I wanted some tea or food, I would have asked for it or gotten it myself,” Rin said between gritted teeth.  
  
Slowly, Archer walked into the room, his eyes never leaving hers as he set the tea on the dresser before turning back to her. His hands were raised slightly as he said, “Or you might ignore the fact you haven’t had anything to eat today other than a cup of tea this morning before we went to the Einzbern castle.”  
  
She frowned and said, “I’m not hungry.”  
  
He walked over to her and picked up the chair to her vanity. She stared at it, not even realizing it had fallen, before looking back at Archer. He said, “Sit down, Rin.”  
  
“I may not want to sit down, Archer, and I’m not going to have you patronize me right now. I’m not in the mood for it,” Rin replied as she lowered her arms to her side, “So you made tea and whatever else for nothing.”  
  
His eyes narrowed and suddenly he was right there. Large, warm hands descended on her shoulders and lightly pushed her into the chair. She yelped as she found herself sitting again and clinched her fist with the Command Seals on it. _And I wasted the first seal, then I had to use the second to keep Saber from slicing him in half, and that just leaves me with one more. Use it and we don’t have a contract. He’d be within his rights to kill me._  
_  
Isn’t there anything else I haven’t screwed up?_  
  
Then he presented her a tea cup resting perfectly on its saucer. Even from his hands she could see the steam floating in the air in fanciful, pale grey eddies and the sweet scent hit her nostrils. She could almost taste the bergamot in the tea as she asked, “Earl Grey?”  
  
“I would have fixed lavender tea if you had it in your stores,” Archer said with a half smile as he handed her the delicate cup. She took the saucer with her left hand and wrapped her right hand around the tea cup itself. Soft warmth radiated through the china and into her chilled palm.  
  
_Lavender, to help calm me down,_ Rin thought with a shake of her head as Archer grabbed his tea cup and then stood beside her, leaning against the vanity with one leg crossed over the other. She inhaled the steam before taking a sip and resisted the urge to sigh like she always did when drinking his tea. It was perfection. Archer really did pride himself in this task, and with good reason; even the amount of cream and sugar added enhanced the tea’s robust flavor coupled with the clean tang of bergamot.   
  
Comforting warmth began to seep into her, relaxing some of the weight on her shoulders as she drank. The two of them drank in silence until both cups were empty. She rested hers on her vanity and Archer asked, “Would you like some more? I brought the pot up too.”  
  
“Thank you,” she said softly as he took her empty cup and headed back to her dresser. She studied his broad back as he was turned from her, knowing the care he was taking to pour and sweeten the tea to her liking. He was so tall and large, but she noticed that there was a certain refinement to his motions. Her Archer lacked the natural grace of Saber, Lancer, or Rider, but made up for it in other ways, like all the care he took in his actions.  
  
He turned back, that familiar boyish smile on his face as he carried her tea cup and a tiny plate with a sandwich cut perfectly horizontal in half. Rin stared at the lettuce peering from between the two slices of bread and heard her stomach rumble. She felt heat fill her cheeks at that; obviously she was hungrier than she’d thought. She turned so she could use the vanity as a table as he stood beside her, leaning against the vanity again.  
  
She began to eat, noting that Archer knew what ingredients she liked in a sandwich and knew the delicate balances of the types of sauces she favored. _Who knew that my Servant was going to be such a servant,_ she thought with a snort. Archer folded his arms and asked, “What’s wrong?”  
  
“I’m just thinking,” Rin said after swallowing and reaching for her tea.  
  
Archer nodded and said, “I’m not surprised. A lot has happened.”  
  
She curled her fingers into a fist and released them before eating again. She looked up at him and said, “We should talk, Archer.”  
  
“Eat first, then we’ll talk about whatever you want to,” he said with a nod towards her food. She nodded in return and began to eat again. The silence made Rin relax as she took her fill. Once she was finished she realized that the throbbing in her head had eased quite a bit and most of the heaviness had left her limbs.  
  
She turned towards him and said, “You were right, I really needed that. Thank you, Archer.”  
  
“We were both almost completely drained by the Shadow today, Rin. You need to keep up your strength,” Archer said with a shake of his head and a lopsided grin that seemed brittle at the edges.   
  
Rin looked down at the mention of the Shadow and saw her pendent laying on top of polished wood. Even in the soft glow of her bedroom, the jewel still flashed brilliant crimson when the light hit it. She idly picked it up and let the familiar weight rest in her palm before she said, “Sakura’s right to want to kill me.”  
  
Archer stared at her with wide eyes before nodding. She thumbed the platinum chain in her palm and said, “I don’t know if you know this, but magi generally only have one child and can only train one heir. I’ve never been quite sure if Sakura was an accident, or my mother desired to have a daughter that wasn’t a magus, like I was going to be.”  
  
“And Sakura was born with Magic Circuits,” Archer said with a frown.  
  
Rin nodded and replied, “Yes. Of course she was. Even though the Zenjou, my mother’s family, may have been magi at one point in time and lost their circuits, they still had this innate ability to produce children with maximum potential with what genes were available.”  
  
“Well, that explains a lot,” Archer said with a slight smile as his eyes met hers.  
  
Rin felt her cheeks heat up again and ask, “What’s that suppose to mean?”  
  
“You’re an exceptional magus, Rin. I’d easily say you’re the best Master of the War and I’m glad you’re the one who Summoned me,” Archer said as his smile turned to a lopsided grin as he shook his head.  
  
“If I’m so exceptional, then why do I screw up all the time?” Rin asked as she narrowed her eyes at him.  
  
Archer shrugged and answered, “Because you’re young and you’ve lived alone with no one to help or teach you. I wouldn’t count that fake priest as much of a guardian.”  
  
She looked back at the pendent and said, “There’s something about Kirei that unsettles me. Like he did something horrible to me, but I don’t know what it is.”  
  
“If you feel that way, then he probably has,” Archer said with a wan smile before uncrossing his arms and resting one on his hip and the other to help support his weight on the vanity.  
  
Rin bit her lip at his insight. She knew from their shared dreams about what sort of life he had led to becoming a hero. From what she had seen, her Archer had been something of an idealistic idiot trying to save everyone that he could with no thought of himself. She hadn’t seen the end of his life yet, but had a feeling that her Archer really didn’t have a happy end to go from the idealistic idiot in her dreams to the sarcastic man before her.  
  
She said, “Well, Sakura obviously had talent too, and my father thought it would be better if she went to a magus family to be trained so the Clock Tower wouldn’t think she was some anomaly and want to study her, or worse. He thought the Matous would see her as a godsend and train her as a magus, and then I didn’t have a sister anymore.”   
  
The brilliant red gem swayed back and forth as Rin lifted her hand and let the chain spill from her hand. She watched it as it began to swing back and forth like a pendulum. “I was told that this would be the best thing for Sakura. She was given away and then my father died in the War before this one. I don’t know the details, Kirei wasn’t exactly forthcoming, but I also know I never saw Uncle Kariya again either.”  
  
“Uncle Kariya?” Archer asked with a frown.  
  
Rin felt her lips curve bitterly as she answered, “He wasn’t really my Uncle, but he was a close friend of my mother’s. He used to bring Sakura and I presents when we were really little. Pretty, glittering pieces of costume jewelry that little girls would go crazy over. Last time I saw him was after we’d given Sakura away. He was really upset about it, but Sakura really adored her Uncle Kariya and it was blatantly obvious he felt the same. Then again when her own father didn’t pay that much attention to her so who could blame her, right?”  
  
_When my own father was so awkward in his own affection,_ Rin thought as she clinched the chain tightly. The last memory of her father was so vivid in her mind. He had no idea how to treat her, and his pat on her head had almost been painful, but she had been so happy at the time because he was paying attention to her. She wanted to tell him a joke to get him to laugh, but that one gesture had made her so giddy that she had forgotten her joke and just basked in his presence.  
  
“Looking back at it now, Dad was always sort of distant with us, even me,” Rin said, “I wanted to make him so proud, Archer, but he gave Sakura away to _that_. At first I just thought the worms were part of the training, but to hear what Kirei said when he was healing her . . .”  
  
Tears burned her eyes as Rin looked up at her Servant. Archer’s face had fallen, his mouth was set in a grim line, but the look in his eyes was soft, pensive even. She let the pendent fall to the wooden surface and whispered, “Did he know that Zouken was going to do that to her? Did he know and not care?”  
  
“Your father was an idiot,” Archer said in such a low voice she almost strained to hear it.  
  
Rin looked up at him and felt her eyes narrow. He looked at her and continued, “Magi are idiots, Rin. They’re socially awkward idiots who don’t know how to deal with the human race. They’re so absorbed in their research that things common sense would dictate don’t even register to them.”  
  
“So I’m a socially awkward idiot who doesn’t know how to deal with the human race and that I’m so absorbed in my research that common sense doesn’t even register to me?” Rin retorted with a glare.  
  
Archer shook his head and his expression softened. He answered, “No. I know you well enough to see that you’re lonely. That you don’t want to block yourself from the world like that, but you don’t know how to interact with people. You’re a good person, Rin.”  
  
Rin stared at him and said, “I left my sister to . . .” She looked away, “I left her to all of that. I had signs you know, of Shinji abusing her. And did you know that she had black hair and blue eyes like me when she was little? I just thought that was a side effect of what the Matous were training her in. I should have done something, but I didn’t.”  
  
_I’m just as guilty for hurting her as Dad was. As Zouken is. I lied to myself to assuage my own guilt, and look where that got me._  
  
“And what could you have done Rin?” Archer asked as she jolted and looked into eyes like steel. Broad shoulders shrugged and he   
continued, “You could have tried to save Sakura, but what would have happened? It would have been seen as a breech on the treaty between your two families and Zouken would have been in his rights to kill you.” His eyes narrowed at her, “Or worse.”  
  
A sliver of ice danced along her spine at those words and she shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. “I still should have done something,” she said in a soft voice as she looked down, her hair falling over her face. One hand briskly went up to shove the still damp locks out of her face as she saw Archer looking at her with a tiny smile.  
  
“And what, gotten yourself killed for your trouble?” Archer said, “Then where would Sakura be now? Or that punk kid you wasted all that prana on to bring back from the brink of death?” Archer said as he moved in front of her.  
  
Rin blinked at him as he knelt before her Japanese style with his hands resting atop his thighs, his eyes slightly lower than hers. She looked away, closed her eyes, and said, “I saved him for her. I saved him for myself too, I guess.”  
  
“Oh, that punk must be pretty lucky if he has your favor,” Archer said with a chuckle that made her eyes snap open again. She turned to him as he continued chuckling and shook his head.  
  
Heat filled her cheeks and she replied, “It doesn’t matter anyway, and don’t mock me. I’m being serious here.”  
  
“I know you are, Rin,” Archer said with a slight smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, “It’s just not fair to you.”  
  
She rubbed her arms and replied, “I went into this life knowing that there wasn’t going to be a lot that was fair. That I was going to be alone, and that if I married it would most likely be a loveless one to produce the best heir possible. Besides, Sakura likes him too, and I’d be even worse a sister if I take that little bit of happiness from her.”  
  
“I think she’s good for him. She’ll keep him off the path of destructive idealism he was on,” Archer said with a sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly as he shook his head.  
  
Rin stared at him and asked, “Something you know all about, right?”  
  
“You don’t have the faintest idea,” he answered as his lip curled into a sneer.  
  
She curled her legs under her and looked down at him. She said, “And I’m going to ruin that.”  
  
Archer’s eyes met and held hers as he said, “Killing Sakura would be the best thing to do. Any hero can tell you that sacrificing one life to save many is always the best course of action.”  
  
Ice filled her veins at his words and she quietly nodded. “Of course it is,” she whispered before looking away. The chain was gleaming and the red stone dangling from it sent flashes of crimson even as it lay perfectly still.  
  
“However, if I was in your shoes I’d do anything in my power to save my little sister,” Archer said.  
  
Rin whipped her head back to face him and stared at him. “What did you say?” she asked as her breath caught and her chest tightened. Fire and ice were currently at war within her, her face felt burning hot but her fingertips felt frozen. Her heart was pounding like a drum, so hard that she could hear it rushing in her ears as Archer shrugged and lazily smiled.  
  
“If that was my little sister in that situation, I would say the hell with everything and save her no matter what the cost. Heroism means nothing if you have no one to share it with,” Archer said with a dismissive wave of his hand.  
  
Silence stretched on for an endless moment until Rin moistened her lips with a flick of the tongue and asked, “Then, does that mean you’ll help me?”  
  
“Well, you did go through all of that trouble Summoning and sustaining me. Plus I did promise to be your sword, right? And, you do have me under a Command to obey you,” Archer said with a nod and sardonic grin, “So it’s not like I really have a choice, now do I?”  
  
Rin stared at him for a moment and was in motion before she realized it. The smell of smoke, leather, and steel filled her nostrils as she wrapped her arms around broad shoulders. The feeling of holding someone in her arms was utterly alien to her, the feel of their warmth against her, the solid presence that another body had, and the sound of someone else’s heartbeat in her ears was something she had altogether forgotten. Her eyes widened as she felt large arms wrap around her in kind and a long finger hand deftly stroking her hair.  
  
Countless moments passed as Rin simply continued to hug Archer. During that time they had shifted so her head was resting on his shoulder and his cheek against the crown of her head. She clung to him; he smoothed her hair as if she was made of spun glass. Heat was blazing in her cheeks, and she knew she’d held on for far too long and expected Archer to tease her about it.  
  
But her Servant was oddly silent as he continued to return her awkward embrace.  
  
Red cloth was surprisingly stiff between her fingers as she dug them into his mantle and moved her face into his shoulder. “This doesn’t mean anything,” she said against him.  
  
There was a soft chuckle and Archer replied, “Of course not, I’m just your Servant after all.”  
  
“You are mine,” Rin said, “And I think you’re the first person I could really talk to. So maybe I overreacted, but I’d forgotten what this was like.”  
  
His arms tightened around her and Rin’s eyes widened. His breath ruffled the hair beside her ear and made her shiver as he said, “I’m sorry.”  
  
“I’m a horrible Master,” Rin said as she moved her cheek so her voice wasn’t muffled.  
  
Archer moved back enough so he could look her in the eye. His face was startlingly close to hers, and there was something oddly bright in his grey eyes. His expression was open for once, his guard completely dropped. He said in a slightly hoarse voice, “It’s really not like you to beat yourself up like this, Rin.”  
  
She leaned forward, closing the distance between them, and bestowed the honor of her first kiss to her Servant. 

 

***

  
It was reasonable knowledge that he had gone through the Fifth Holy Grail War as Tohsaka Rin’s Servant countless times. Archer knew the moment he regained his thoughts and sense of self to prepare himself for anything just to reach his goal. He also reasoned that there had been a myriad of times where his goal had been diverted or changed. Immeasurable ways to counter other Servants and plans to attain his goal were probably stored within the “records” that counted as his memories.   
  
Archer knew he was metaphorically armed for bear, but he should have realized that Tohsaka Rin was one of the few things that could surprise him, but he had not been ready for this.  
  
Her lips were warm and silken against his, the touch light at first before increasing with pressure. The caress was thick with her inexperience and eagerness. Warmth radiated from her slight form and the smell of strawberries from her shampoo was making him lightheaded. His heart started to race as he returned the dance her lips had started, brushing them languidly at first then faster and faster until she gasped.  
  
Rin’s lips parted and he darted forward, the hand that had been stroking her hair going to the nape of her neck to hold her still. His tongue slid into her mouth and gingerly flicked against hers to entice it to move with him. Small hands gripped his shoulders as Rin began to kiss him back, following his lead. Soon they were moving their lips and tongues in perfect synch, each kiss following into the next.  
  
The sweet taste of tea, the tartness of citrus oil, and the flash of spice enveloped him. Archer felt his own blood roar to life in his veins as he moved one hand up and down her back, feeling her warmth beneath soft flannel. Rin arched at this, her head tilting back to separate their lips as she moaned. Her eyes fluttered ever so slightly as he traced the supple curve of her spine as her thick, raven hair was a heady weight upon his hand.  
  
A lump rose in his throat as he studied her. Pink lips were parted and slightly swollen and gleaming from their kisses, a deep flush was spread across her pale cheeks, and her eyes opened to focus at him, gleaming like aquamarines. He almost moaned at the sight as his body flared to life even more, becoming painfully hard within the confines of his pants. Rin stared at him as she panted for air; the simple act brought Archer’s attention to the steady rise and fall of small breasts. His eyes eagerly traced the hard points poking through the yellow fabric and started to bring his hands up to brush his thumbs over them.  
  
_Stop it, idiot,_ he thought as he took a long, slow breath and looked at Rin. He moved his hands to her sides, barely touching her. Yet he could feel her warmth radiating through the barrier of her pajamas. _Pajamas with little black cats all over them._  
  
“Rin, we should stop,” he said, forcing the words from his raw throat.  
  
Rin blinked and said, “Archer.”   
  
“That shouldn’t have happened,” he said with a shake of his head as he lowered his eyes from her.  
  
Rin said, “I was the one who kissed you.”  
  
“Yeah, you did, but you don’t know what you’re doing,” Archer said with a shake of his head, “You’re just stressed right now and reacted.”  
  
A small hand moved from his shoulders to lightly rest on his cheek. He blinked as she tilted his head back to her and stared into her gorgeous aquamarine eyes. “Why should we stop?” she asked.  
  
He swallowed and said, “Because that kiss will lead us both somewhere we’ll regret.”  
  
“Archer, you’ve said it yourself that I’ve been alone for far too long,” Rin said as she stroked his cheek. Her fingers were surprisingly rough, tiny calluses along the sides and palms, but they were warm.  
  
He shook his head and said, “Which means I need to be responsible. I’ll be more than happy to stay by your side, but what lies beyond that kiss isn’t a path you should take. At least not with me.”  
  
“You were the one who responded to the kiss like that,” she said as he watched the flush grow in her cheeks even more, “It just felt right after that.”  
  
He felt heat bubble forth in his own cheeks and said, “I shouldn’t have.” _I shouldn’t have been greedy. I should have pulled away and just held you. It would have been torture, but I would have held you while you slept if it made you feel better. I shouldn’t have kissed you like that._  
  
“Then why did you?” Rin asked in a firm voice.  
  
Archer blinked, looked down at the ground, and then back to her keen eyes. He answered, “Because I wanted to.”  
  
“Then why do we need to stop?” Rin asked with a tiny smile.  
  
Archer met her eyes and said, “Because I’m your Servant. Because you’re a virgin and I really have no desire to hurt you.”  
  
“You won’t hurt me,” Rin said with a shake of her head before her eyes met his.  
  
_You know how long it’s been? What it’s like to suddenly have all these needs brought back to life? I’ll lose control and hurt you._  
  
“You just need some rest,” he said as he moved to push her away.  
  
Her hands caught his wrists and she said, “I know the first time will hurt, but I’ve already decided. I want to do this with you, because   
I trust you. Because you’re my Archer and you’ll take care of me.”  
  
Then she leaned forward and her lips were on his again. A groan escaped him as he pulled her closer, her words lancing through him. He kissed her harder this time, ravishing her mouth in warning. Rin held him close and moved her lips with his as best as she could, but he could feel her trembling against him. He pulled away from her, gasping for air as the world seemed to spin around him. Every nerve within him was firing, his heart was pounding, his chest was tight, and his blood was roaring through his veins. Need grew and throbbed as Rin panted as she looked up at him.  
  
He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers and inhaled her scent while holding her close. “Tell me to stop, please, Rin,” he whispered against her lips.  
  
Warm air tickled his lips as she replied, “I want my first time to be with someone who cares for me, so see me through this to the end.”  
  
His breath left his body in a rush as he held her tightly before trailing his lips down the side of her face back to hers. Then he claimed them again, but this time Rin swept her tongue through his mouth, as possessive as always. This time she took control as her mouth danced along his, teasing and tasting him until they were both breathless.  
  
She pulled away and tugged at the red cloth of his mantle. Wordlessly he released the prana holding it and the tail around his waist together, letting them melt from his form. Then he leaned forward to kiss her again, but this time his hands moved up her sides to the front of her pajamas. His thumbs found the tiny points sticking up within the soft fabric and slowly rubbed tiny circles over them.   
  
Rin moved her head away with a gasp and he trailed his lips over her cheek to lightly lick at her ear. She arched with a tiny cry as his teeth lightly pulled at the soft lobe, her body quivering delightfully against his. He stored the knowledge as he ran his kisses down the slim column of her throat and pressed his palms against small, firm breasts. Each touch fed the need howling with in him more and more, distantly realizing the painful torture that was swelling from within.  
  
“Archer,” she said with a groan as she turned her head away, her eyes tightly shut.  
  
He frowned and asked, “Am I hurting you?”  
  
Raven tresses flew back and forth as the girl shook her head. He asked, “Do you want me to stop?”  
  
Again, she shook her head and answered in a shaky voice, “No, just . . .”  
  
_No one’s touched you like this before and you’re scared._ He swallowed and moved his hands from her breasts to pull her close. “Too fast?” he asked as he stroked her hair.  
  
He could feel her slight nod against his shoulder as she looked up at him. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. She was shaking in his arms and he sighed as he held her close. He stroked her hair from her face, moved back and asked, “Why don’t you take the lead for a while?”  
  
Rin blinked and asked, “What do you mean?”  
  
“I’m yours to command right? Then command me. Tell me what to do and do whatever you want with me,” he said as he felt heat rush into his cheeks but he managed to look into her eyes.  
  
Her eyes widened at that before narrowing. She swallowed and lightly strummed her fingers across the hard shell of his cuirass. “Off, the boots too,” she said in a low voice before looking up at him and taking a step back. He nodded as he released the prana holding those together as well, leaving him only in his pants.   
  
Rin’s eyes widened as she studied him, slim fingers trailing over his heated skin. He bit back a groan as long, feminine fingers skimmed over scars before stroking the thickest that still marked his heart. His eyes closed as her caress grew bolder at the heavy scar as his heart felt as if it had suddenly lodged itself in his throat. The groan that left his lips came unbidden as he clinched his fists at his sides while his toes curled into the carpet.  
  
Then something velvety pressed against it, sending thousands of tiny sparks through him as he shivered. Wet softness stroked it as heavy strands of hair like rough silk caressed his bare skin. His hands moved from his sides to gently run through her hair, his knees wobbling at the sheer tactile joy of it. “Was this the wound that killed you?” Rin’s voice vibrated against his skin and his back arched while her hands splayed across his chest and abdomen before curving into the hard muscles there.  
  
He nodded and whispered, “Yes.”  
  
_I’m not lying, it did kill me, but you brought me back. It’s not like I have the rope burns around my neck from when I was executed now._  
  
“You really weren’t that careful, were you?” Rin asked with a sigh before tapping her thumb on what had been a gunshot wound on his side.  
  
Archer opened his eyes to see utter fascination on Rin’s face as she studied him. The sight shot another bolt of desire through him and he felt himself throb in response. He shook his head and answered, “Lack of sense of self.”  
  
“Idiot,” she whispered before wrapping her arms around his neck, standing on her tip-toes, and furiously kissing him. He intertwined one hand in her hair at the nape of her neck while the other rested on her lower back. She hadn’t told him to touch her anywhere else, and he wouldn’t until she gave him the leeway to do so. He just returned her kiss, lightly kneading her back as he did as he forced his body not to arch and thrust into hers.  
  
Yet she rubbed against him and he jolted slightly at the sudden touch. Rin licked his lips before pulling away and looking at him with wide eyes. She moved one of her hands to shove her hair back and said, “Archer, I want to see you. All of you.”  
  
He swallowed, closed his eyes, and finally bared himself to her gaze. He gritted his teeth at the rush of air that surrounded his heated, throbbing skin and took a deep breath. He heard Rin gasp then swallow. He opened his eyes to find her staring at him before taking a step back.  
  
“What’s wrong?” he asked as she stared down at his aching length. He looked down as well, staring at the swollen and aching flesh. Heat rushed his cheeks as he saw that the engorged tip was already glistening and nothing had touched it yet. Rin took a slow step forward before her shaking hand reached out and ghosted over it before pulling away. The not quite touch was like torture, only serving to make him pulse and twinge even more.  
  
“Just . . . different than what I expected,” Rin said as she twisted the bottom of her pajama top in her hands.  
  
Archer looked down with a frown. Rin said, “Like, I thought it would be smaller from what I heard.” Her voice caught and she looked up at him, fear flashing through her aquamarine eyes. He moved over to her and rested his hands over hers.  
  
“We can stop,” he said as he looked into her eyes.  
  
She stared at him and then looked down to his aching length. _Please don’t touch me. Please touch me. God, please touch me Rin._ Warm fingers clasped around him and he almost screamed when they slowly moved up and down him. His hands gripped her shoulders and his breath came out in a rush at the sudden touch. Then there was the shock that ran through his body as her thumb circled around the thick head, rubbing the slickness she found there.  
  
“It’s wet,” she said in a soft voice and he nodded.  
  
_I’m going to go insane._  
  
“Yes,” he said with a hiss as he forced himself to be still.  
  
Her voice trembled as she said, “I don’t think I’m ready to put this in my mouth.”  
  
He opened his eyes without realizing he closed them before hugging her close as she moved her hand from him. “That’s okay,” he whispered against her hair. The idea of Rin on her knees with her hot mouth on him and her hair caressing his thighs almost completely obliterated his control.  
  
He was kissing her again, logical thought all but gone, and his hands were going to her breasts again. The soft warmth pressed into his hands as he began to knead them together and apart while his thumbs worked the hard points of her nipples. He was rewarded with a little cry against his mouth that made him trail kisses to her ear. Rin arched up sinuously, rubbing against his throbbing need and he growled before lightly biting the shell of her ear.  
  
“Archer,” Rin moaned as she clutched his shoulders.  
  
He ran his teeth along her throat before nuzzling it. He looked at her and said, “I’m going to take these off.” Then he moved his hands from her breasts before unbuttoning the tiny black buttons.  
  
Rin flushed prettily and said, “But . . . I . . .”  
  
He kissed every bit of creamy white skin he exposed as he unbuttoned the pajama top. “I want to see you too Rin.” He then slid the top off of her shoulders and gasped at the sight of Rin topless and blushing, her nipples hard, coppery pink points atop of small, perfectly formed breasts. He admired the definition in her arms and shoulders and wanted to rest his head on the soft flesh of her stomach.  
  
Wordlessly, he lifted her into his arms, her weight barely registering, and carried her to the bed. Her eyes were impossibly wide as he laid her down, admiring the spill of inky black hair on top of white pillows. He laid beside her and kissed her again, moving on top of her.  
  
He used one hand to support his weight as he languidly kissed her, sucking and nibbling on her lips before darting his tongue in and out of the hot, wet cavern of her mouth. Her nails bit into his back as she danced her tongue against his, making him shiver even more. She was panting beneath him as he ran his lips from hers and down to the soft swell of her breasts. The right one was taken into his hand while he lavished the left with a combination of kisses, languid licks, and tiny, stinging nips.   
  
Rin cried out at that, almost bucking off the bed as her clothed core brushed against his swollen length. It jerked at the contact, feeling the warmth beneath and Archer rocked his hips forward slightly before capturing her nipple with his mouth. He sucked eagerly on it, drenching it with his saliva as Rin’s sweet little gasps and cries filled the room before flicking his tongue around it. While he lightly strummed its twin between his fingers and thumb he savored the salty sweet taste of Rin as he rubbed teasingly against her.  
  
He switched his line of attack, moving his mouth to her other nipple while playing with the slick point with his fingers. Then he trailed kisses down her stomach to the waistline of her pajamas. He looked up to see Rin watching him with wide eyes and reddened cheeks, but she closed her eyes with a sharp nod.  
  
Sighing in relief, Archer quickly slid both the flannel bottoms and white cotton panties from her long legs before rearing up. Rin blinked up at him, utterly bare as she moved one hand to the bare slit between her thighs. His eyes traveled over her glistening nipples, down her skin to her sinfully long and sculpted legs to rest over where she was covering herself.  
  
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Rin asked as she stared up at him.  
  
He moved forward to stroke her hair and smiled. “Please move your hand, Rin,” he said.  
  
She bit her lip and nodded, leaving herself completely bare to him. His heart racing, he ran his index finger over the smooth slit that guarded her soft folds. Rin bit her lip and looked up at him. “That feels . . . different,” she said before squirming at his touch.  
  
He deftly parted her until his fingers skimmed searing, silken wetness. “Oh,” he said as his breath left him with a rush, “You’re wet.”  
  
“I know, that’s good right?” Rin said as she looked up at him with a frown, “So . . . we’re ready?”   
  
He shook his head before traveling down her body again. He answered, “No, not yet. I think you need to be kissed here.” He slid his finger over the apex over her folds and her hips jolted. He moved his hand to open her thighs to him but she was starting to sit up, her hands going to his head.  
  
“Archer, stop, you can’t do that, it’s dirty,” Rin said, her voice growing higher as he licked the smoothness of her inner thigh. He felt her shiver at that and repeated the motion with her other thigh. The spicy, musky scent coming from her core was making him drunk with want. He needed to lick every millimeter of her until she was languid with bliss and taste her lust on his tongue.  
  
He gently moved her legs onto his shoulders as he rubbed his thumb over the gentle slit. “You just took a shower, right? Then you’re still clean,” he said with a smile before parting her open with his left hand. His nostrils flared at the sight of soft, pink folds that were glistening from her drenched core, the tiny nub still mostly hidden at their apex, and the small entrance to the haven of her body.   
  
Without another word, he lowered his head and slid his tongue inside her as much as he could, which wasn’t very far, and lapped her tangy, almost metallic essence. He distantly heard some sort of muffled cry from above that was like pouring napalm in the fire raging within him. The first flicks of his tongue clumsily laved between her folds and inside her before flicking over to the tiny, swelling nub at the very top. He moved his tongue over it back and forth, faster and faster as Rin’s cries grew louder and louder, spurring him on.  
  
His lips wrapped around the point and began to suck as he slid one finger inside her. Tight, hot wetness gripped his finger as there was the slightest resistance before he was moving it in and out of her while sucking on her. The nub was starting to withdraw from his questing lips, but he redoubled his efforts and Rin’s body grew tense before shaking like a leaf as she cried out. She nearly bucked off the bed as her inner walls gripped his finger almost painfully, but he kept sucking until he was rewarded with more shrieking and trembling.  
  
Archer was vaguely aware of his face being drenched with Rin’s wetness, but he didn’t care and was spurred by her cries until she started to push desperately at his head. He lifted his lips from her and slid his middle finger in with the index, watching as Rin winced slightly. The tiny pink nub was still shaking with small aftershocks as he gave it one last kiss before looking up at her, his fingers moving back and forth as much as they could in the tight confines. Rin was pink from her head to her toes with her cheeks resembling cherries.  
  
He found himself grinning from ear to ear at the dazed look in her aquamarine eyes as she lay panting for breath. Reluctantly, he slid his fingers from her tightness and moved up her body, already drenched with her. She stared up at him and said, “A-archer . . . what did you do to me?”  
  
“I wanted you to have something good from this,” he said as he pulled her close, settling between her perfect thighs. They both gasped as his pulsing length met her quivering, wet flesh. Their eyes met and he intertwined her fingers with his before rubbing against her, torturing himself with that silken caress.  
  
Then his lips met hers in a gentle apology as he drove his hips forward.

***

  
Rin blinked for a moment, distracted by Archer’s gentle kiss. His fingers gripped hers as he ran his lips against hers in feather light touches. There were still tiny flutters coming from her core, tiny aftershocks that were intensified each time Archer rubbed his heated length against hers. He was prodding her; that thick blunt head running over her heated flesh and making her shiver as each pass made both of them slicker and slicker.  
  
Having her Servant on top of her was different than what she had thought. She thought it would feel like a dead weight pressing into her to trap her helplessly, but Archer on top of her was nothing but. Instead the there was this ache inside of her that made her want to hold onto him and touch every centimeter of muscle that was tightly corded in his body. Even now she could feel him so tense that he was trembling against her, and somehow that made her relax ever so slightly.  
  
She flicked her tongue out against his lips and felt him draw up.  
  
Then burning pain wiped away any bliss that had been left over from moments before.  
  
Rin cried out at the searing invader that was burrowed inside of her, tearing her open as the massive length thrust its way inside. Untried muscles clamped down, tensing as they tried to voice the intruder out. Uncomfortable pressure was making her squirm as she felt Archer fill and stretch her far more than his fingers just had. He felt impossibly deep and far too large within her and her whole core was awash in scorching agony.  
  
She expected him to start thrusting, creating more pain as he tore her open even more. However the pulsating length was still within her as Archer’s labored breathing echoed the room. The pressure from his grip made her flinch as his head was bowed and muscles were locked, forcing himself immobile. She took a deep breath as she could feel her own heart racing as the burning inside of her started to quell slightly and the pressure lessened enough so she could relax.  
  
He lifted his head and bleary eyes the color of old steel met hers before she lifted her head and captured his lips in a kiss. He still tasted like tea and the smell of smoke, leather, and steel was still thick in the air and mingled with the spicy, musky scent of her own lust that Archer had coaxed from her just moments ago. He returned the kiss with the same restraint he was holding himself still with, not the hunger and passion he had when all of this started.  
  
_It’s hurting him to hurt me like this. Oh my Archer, you really are something, aren’t you?_ She smiled as she let his fingers go to move up and down his back. He gasped, his head snapped towards her, and he stared at her with wide eyes. Even though he was burrowed deep within her with that odd, burning pressure she had to at least give him something in return. _Your actions speak louder than your words,_ she thought as they just stared at each other and she nodded.  
  
He blinked and she pushed herself up. The movement slid him against her, brushing something inside of her that made her gasp. She dug her fingers into his back and whispered into his ear, “Let go.”  
  
“Rin?” he asked in a raw voice as those eyes gleamed like newly minted coins.  
  
Rin nodded, kissed him, and hooked her legs around his waist.  
  
And that was all the prompting he needed, and she could literally feel the last of Archer’s control shatter.  
  
His tongue swept through her lips as his hips drew up and he started to slide out of her. Then he thrust forward, withdrawing and retreating with enough force to make the bed shake. Loud creaks mingled with the sound of Archer’s labored breathing and the tiny little cries Rin found herself making with each thrust. With each thrust the ache was being joined by something else, something that made her feel light and heavy at the same time.   
  
That odd, burning pressure seemingly heightened the tension that was coiling more and more within her as she dug her fingers into his back. Distantly she heard him begin to gasp her name as he pulled completely out of her. She cried out in frustration as the tension gnawed at her and he lifted her up and spun her around so her back was against his chest.  
  
She tilted her head to look up at him as she lifted herself onto her knees as he guided her onto his lap. Deft fingers moved to open her cleft and found that point that had completely shattered her when he had kissed her _there._ Sparks went shimmering through her veins as she cried out, that tension growing even more as Archer lined the thick head of his length to push into her again. She looked down to see tiny crimson rivulets trickling down her thighs and streaking his as he brought her down, joining them again. Rin bit her lip at the sudden fullness and the sharp, searing sensation of being stretched and filled to the breaking point.  
  
One of his hands moved to cup her left breast and he began to lightly pinch and rub her nipple with his fingers before kneading the soft mound. She groaned at the wash of pleasure that sparked through her veins as his other hand rubbed at the tiny nub right above where he was thrusting in and out of her. Wet sounds filled the room along with the bed creaking.  
  
Rin felt herself blurring more and more, dancing on a line of pain and pleasure as heat raged within her. That tension was becoming unbearable, she was going to shatter, and she could somehow feel Archer swell within her more and more. Each thrust brought them higher and higher, and pleasant little flutters seemed to shimmer from her body, tightening around the thickness inside of her.   
  
Archer’s hand moved from her breast and to her thigh as his thrusting became harder and faster. He bent forward, pressing her lower as well, changing the angle so he was even deeper within her. Each thrust opened her up more and more to him, as if he was determined to mold her body to his shape. Her blood was pounding in her ears and her mind was swimming. She was teetering on the edge of something impossible, something intangible, as if the Root her father had sought was somehow within her grasp.  
  
“Rin!” her name was torn from his lips, a loud and desperate scream filled somehow with both agony and bliss. He pulsated and twitched hard inside of her and she arched, her body unable to take any more. Warmth flooded her and Rin screamed, her vision whiting out as the world ceased to be. She shattered into a thousand pieces, screaming as the tension sprang and she writhed helplessly. Her inner walls collapsed around Archer, grasping him as she moved to wring more out of him until she simply melted against him.  
  
Moments later they were still joined, her on Archer’s lap as she felt liquid warmth deep within her, filling her. Their breaths were loud as she felt Archer’s arms wrap around her and hold her close. Rin blinked at that as he whispered, “I’m sorry.”  
  
Then he shifted and slid out of her, causing her to cringe at the sudden emptiness. She gasped as she felt an odd feeling of something else sliding from her as she felt his essence start to spill from her. She stared at him, he moved beside her, and gently moved his hand between her legs. A moan escaped from her lips as his fingers gently skimmed over her battered flesh.  
  
Her eyes widened as she sat up to look down as well to see pearly white streaked with red dripping from herself. Archer wrapped his arms around her without a word and just held her close. Rin blinked, but didn’t protest his embrace and in fact snuggled into it with the realization that maybe her Servant needed comfort more than she did.

 

***

  
The first thing that Rin was aware of when she woke up was warmth. It surrounded her, cradled her, and held her close. Bright light streamed through dark curtains and tiny dust particles danced in the beams of light, almost like tiny fairies dancing in the air. She moved to stretch only to find heavy weights around her waist, draped over one of her thighs, and curved behind her. Her eyes widened when she looked at the dusky arm wrapped around her waist before tilting her head to see that she hadn't gone to bed alone.  
  
A small sound that wasn't quite a snore slid through Archer's parted lips as his chest rose and fell with each breath. Rin felt heat fill her cheeks as she moved again, flinching ever so slightly at soreness between her legs. _Last night. He . . . We . . . Oh._ The memory of it made her cheeks flame and she felt the urge to flee, or maybe hide for the next several years. Ignoring that urge, she leaned back against his hard warmth and watched him sleep.  
  
White hair was currently falling onto his forehead, and his expression was softer, wiping years from his face. She didn't remember falling asleep with him behind her like this and both of them on their side, so he had to have shifted them during the night. One of his legs was caught and pillowed between hers and he had an arm wrapped around her stomach. He was completely curved against her with his face burrowed in her long hair.  
  
A smile crossed her lips as she shook her head at the thought of Archer being so affectionate, but she wasn't going to push him away. She would definitely tease him a little about it later, but it wasn't something she minded. If anything, it sent a tiny spark of warmth through her that made her tingle and want to smile like an idiot. So she rested her hands on top of his, absently rubbing the calluses she found on his palms and fingers.   
  
Rin was aware that no matter how good it felt they couldn't lay like this forever.   
  
Still, she would savor the moment while she could and Archer deserved it too. She was burning everything to memory from the lingering   
aches, the warmth surrounding her, the silly little whistling sound Archer was making while sleeping, and just the feeling of someone with her for once. Someone who she could be herself with.  
  
_Someone whose actions speak far louder than their words,_ she mused, _if last night and right now are any indication._ The events of last night played far differently than she anticipated. She had expected Archer to take the roll of an older, experienced lover teaching a young woman about the joys of sex. Instead she got something else, something she hadn't anticipated at all.  
  
Last night wasn't about sex or comfort, like she was originally thought it would be, but even she knew well enough when someone was making love.   
  
_So, not only do I have Sakura to save now, I have to make sure you stay with me,_ Rin thought with a sigh to her sleeping Archer.  
  
Grey eyes opened and she chuckled at the haziness there before Archer blinked, shook his head, and blushed. She smiled and said, “Good morning.”  
  
“Hey,” he said, his body curving into hers just a little more before he started to let her go.  
  
She gripped his hand and said, “Just for a little while longer, okay?”  
  
“Okay,” he said, a smile flashing across his features as he settled back against her. She shifted so her head was resting against his shoulder as his hand idly stroked her stomach. He looked down at her and kissed the crown of her head before resting his cheek against it.  
  
Rin smiled and said, “You know, I wouldn't have pegged you for being a cuddler.”  
  
“And I wouldn't have pegged you for liking to be held,” Archer said with a slight smirk.  
  
She stretched slightly, releasing some tension in her muscles, and replied, “Well, you're so big and warm. I'll allow it.”  
  
“Thank you,” he said before his chuckle reverberated through her. Then he eyed her and asked, “How are you?”  
  
She looked away as her cheeks heated up again and answered, “A little sore, but nothing too bad. It's not like my Crest acting up or anything.  
  
“Well, I should not have expected anything less from you, Rin,” Archer said with another laugh, his white teeth flashing against his dusky skin, “I'm just glad I didn't hurt you more than I did.”  
  
She giggled as well and intertwined her fingers through his that were resting upon her stomach. She looked up at him and said, “It wasn’t too bad, I’m used to pain remember, and what you did before more than made up for it.” She paused for a moment before eying him and added, “You know, I have a lot of questions you're going to answer.”  
  
“Rin, I . . .” Archer began before sighing and nodding.  
  
She gave his hand a tiny squeeze and said, “Later.”  
  
His eyes widened before he nodded and said, “Later.”  
  
“I know where your loyalty lies, Archer. Besides, we have other things to deal with right now,” Rin said with a sigh.  
  
Archer nodded and answered, “Saving your sister.”  
  
“Yeah, which is easier said than done,” Rin said before shaking her head with a groan.  
  
He gave her a tiny squeeze from behind and said, “But you're not alone, Rin. No matter what, we will save Sakura.”   
  
“And you'd better not die doing it though,” Rin said as her cheeks filled with heat and she looked down.  
  
He moved so he could look down at her and asked, “What do you mean?'  
  
“I mean, you'd better survive the War so I can find a way to keep you here,” Rin retorted with a glare.  
  
Archer's eyes widened before he frowned and said, “Rin, we don't know what's going to happen.”  
  
“No. You have too much to answer for anyway, so you have to stay. I'm not taking this lightly you know,” Rin said with a frown.  
  
A slight smile crossed his lips and he said, “Fine, I guess I have to prove I'm really the best Servant then, don't I?”  
  
_You already have._ She grinned in returned, “Right, and the first thing you need to do is help me save my sister.”  
  
“Then let's go save Sakura,” Archer said before kissing her cheek and holding her close.   
  
**_Fin._**

**Author's Note:**

> Alternate Heaven's Feel route here. Shirou doesn't get the GARM and Archer wasn't killed protecting Rin from the Shadow. If I went on with this as more than a fluffy PWP piece then Rin and Ilya would have found out who he was and the Normal end would have had Rin and Archer returning from London to visit Sakura and Shirou. 
> 
> Of course, this would have been heartbreaking to Archer because he would have lost Ilya again so . . . But at least he's out of CG Hell. 
> 
> And yes, I see Archer as a cuddler. As a CG he's probably starved for things like touch and affection. Not to mention, the new anime didn't go over this (and I wish they did because there's a whole lot of theory about who it is and I would have liked some visual confirmation- we know its not Rin, Archer out right says it himself, but its sort of really obvious being with her rekindles some old feelings), but he had a lover. And that lover left him because she couldn't stand what she knew was going to happen to him. So I doubt Emiya was someone who was out to get booty calls so he probably had a long span of celibacy between his break up and his execution. 
> 
> Also in UBW he talks to Shirou about having desires reawakened because he's theoretically existing again so as someone who's cheerfully perverse, take that as you will.


End file.
